Women's Lacrosse Heads to Detroit on Wednesday
March 12, 2013 | Women's Lacrosse
March 12, 2013
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Coming off its largest margin of victory in program history, the University of Louisville women's lacrosse team heads to the state of Michigan to face Detroit on Wednesday, March 13, at 2 p.m. ET.
Louisville (5-1) routed Presbyterian, 23-1, on Saturday, as 11 different Cardinals scored in the victory. Overall, Louisville outshot Presbyterian, 30-6, held a 19-7 edge in draw controls, and forced the Blue Hose into 15 turnovers.
Nikki Boltja led all players with five goals and tallied two assists, while Erika Eipp, Cortnee Daley, and Kaylin Morissette each netted a hat trick. Katie Oliverio had four of the team's 10 assists, and Eipp was credited with three. Defensively, Hillary Bushway and Laura Patterson each totaled two caused turnovers. Goalie Ashley Herbst was credited with the win, and Danielle Pawliw played 30 minutes and allowed just one goal.
Through six games this season, the Cardinals have a slew of players who rank in the top-five statistically in the BIG EAST. Boltja ranks first in the conference in goals per game (4.0), second in points per game (4.83), and is tied for second in free-position goals per game (1.17). Morissette is tied for fifth in goals per game (2.5) and is fifth in draw controls per game (3.83). In assists per game, Oliverio ranks third with two per game.
Nationally, Louisville is No. 5 in scoring offense and scoring margin, seventh in draw controls per game, No. 13 in points, and 14th in scoring defense. Conversely, Detroit ranks in the top-25 nationally in ground balls per game.
Detroit, which has just one win through its first six games, fell 9-7 to Niagara in overtime on Thursday. Detroit's Zaynib Hamze and Megan Callahan scored two goals apiece, and Lexie McCormick collected six ground balls in the Titans' loss. The Purple Eagles, who tied the game with 1:03 left in regulation and scored the only two overtime goals, were led by Maria Battista's hat trick. Danielle Maio and Brittany Delano each recorded two goals.
The Titans are under the direction of second-year coach Laura Maness, who earned National Lacrosse Conference Coach of the Year accolades in 2011. Maness led the school to eight wins and a third-place finish in the conference. The team, which is competing in its first year in the Atlantic Sun, placed five on the preseason all-conference team.
For the latest information on Louisville women's lacrosse, log on to GoCards.com, or, for up-to-the-minute updates, follow the team's Twitter account at www.twitter.com/louisvillelax or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/uofllacrosse.
